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Rabu, 31 Maret 2010

Check out episode 3 of the Raptors Rundown Podcast. All the great feedback on the show is helping me stay consistent with the show. Keep them coming! If you'd like to guest co-host for an episode, don't hesitate to contact me via email, and I'm sure we can get something worked out.

This week, I have Abish from tdot-sports.com to help me discuss the latest happenings in the world of the Toronto Raptors. Topics include recent lineup changes to the starting 5, the laziness and lack of effort shown by the team, controversy surrounding Colangelo and Turk, Chris Bosh's recent play, and the week to come for the Raps. On top of that, Abish gives you his pick for this week's Raptor Factor.

Selasa, 30 Maret 2010

Other than the weekly reality show that airs on your television screen every Sunday, there is one race that truly pushes your mental and physical strength to the limit. To succeed, it requires cutthroat strategy, an unprecedented determination, and even a little bit of luck. With every team's eyes set on the same prize, you have to make a decision: Step up or be stepped on.

I'm no Phil Keoghan, but let's take a look at the final leg of the race for the post-season. Here are what challenges lay ahead for the Raptors, Bobcats, and the Bulls:

On a quick first glance, it seems as though the Bulls have the most difficult schedule. The only games they really should be expected to win no matter what would be the games against Washington and New Jersey. Every other team on that schedule will be fighting desperately for playoff positioning.

The Bobcats' schedule isn't that bad, but I wouldn't say it's the easiest of the 3 provided. They have three games that can easily be had against Philly, New Jersey, and Detroit. But the rest include a formidable group of teams that have either something to prove or want to finish ahead of Charlotte.

As for the Raptors, I can honestly say they have the easiest schedule of these teams. This is of course assuming they play with the same type of effort they've shown the last three games. If they do, and that's a big IF, I see them having no problem taking care of the Clippers, Sixers, Warriors, Bulls, Pistons, and Knicks. Getting even 1 of the BIG 3 stretch (Cavs, Celtics, Hawks) would also prove to be huge.

Remember Raptors Nation, Toronto holds the tiebreaker over both Charlotte and Chicago. This little fact could prove to be very significant down the stretch. This makes it even more difficult for Chicago to pass us and for Charlotte to finish ahead of us.

Since my NCAA bracket went down the drain a long time ago, I'm going to attempt to make myself feel better here and give you guys my crazy prediction for all 3 teams:

Raptors: 7-2Bobcats: 6-3Chicago: 3-6

That would leave us with a final Eastern Conference standing of:

7. Charlotte: 44-388. Toronto: 43-399. Chicago: 38-44

Unfortunately, that wouldn't be enough to finish ahead of Charlotte, thus giving us a date with King James and his Cavs. Obviously, this is just some prediction from some random Raptors fan, and a lot can happen from here on out; but I totally expect it to play out something similar to this.

Regardless, this is a race and the Raptors are in it. And though it took forever for them to get a clue, the point is it looks like they've got it. But now it's the final leg of the race. And with the last pit stop in sight, it's time to shift into another gear, because the last team there will be eliminated.

Senin, 29 Maret 2010

At around this point last year, the Toronto Raptors were playing very inspired basketball. After a horrendous and disappointing season, the team managed to get everything to come together. As a result, the Raps ended up winning 9 of the last 13 games of the season. The kicker? They were already well out of the playoff race.

Fast forward to the present, and here comes the depressing part.

While in the center of the storm that is the playoff race, the Raptors have managed to lose 10 out of the last 14 games. To say the month of March has been a total disaster would definitely be an understatement. It almost seems like every game, Toronto finds a new way to lose. To make matters worse, everyday fans read another new yet disturbing revelation about the team in the papers. One day it's Colangelo saying he feels the team has individual agendas, and then the next day it's Turkoglu seemingly faking a stomach flu. On top of that, this team has had some of the most frustrating meltdowns I've seen a Raptors squad go through. Yet the most frustrating of all has been the season itself.

And even still, it's not too late to save it.

Currently sitting in the 8th seed, only a half game above Chicago and three games below Charlotte, the Raps' remaining 10 games of the season is quite manageable. Ignoring the Charlotte game tonight for just a minute, the 9 games after that looks like this:

ClippersSixersWarriorsCavsCelticsHawksBullsPistonsKnicks

Regardless of the fact this team has lost its last two games despite the new starting lineup, fans who have stuck with the Raptors can still spot the difference in play. This isn't the same team that got blown out by 30 to the Thunder and the Jazz. The plays have clearly turned up the intensity and sense of urgency, but have unfortunately unable to finish strong.

Let's say they keep that exact level of play for the last 10 games. I think if they can manage to do that, wins will probably come against the Clippers, Sixers, Warriors, Bulls, Pistons, and the Knicks. And even if the Raps lose the games they're expected to lose, they'd still finish around .500 - which sadly will be good enough to finish in the 8th seed.

Of course, finishing in the 8th seed may be just as bad as missing the playoffs to some; but not to the players. It's these players - the same ones many in this city have given up on - that put in the work each and everyday to get a chance to play in the post season. They realize they've let Toronto down tremendously. I say give them a chance to redeem themselves and make it up to us. This roster just needs a brand new start, and that's exactly what the playoffs is. If this team plays hard, win or lose, I can guarantee a pretty exciting first round match-up.

Obviously, things wouldn't look very good for Toronto as they'd have to stay in front of the train that is LeBron James. But that's why there are such things as "upsets". And if the NBA Playoffs turns out to be anything like this year's NCAA tournament, you'll end up attached to your couch, eyes glued on the television, while cheering on the team you're so hopelessly in love with.

Rabu, 24 Maret 2010

Exactly where was the effort tonight? Does this team not get it? Tonight's performance by the Raptors had to be the worst display of effort ever seen by a team fighting for a playoff spot - Ever.

This is the time of the year you want to hit your stride. It's at this point of the season where all excuses are left at the door. With the playoffs just around the corner, you're either doing one of two things:

And truth be told - based on the last few games - the Raptors look like they're going with number 1 on that list. What absolutely boggles the mind is the fact that it's not like the Raptors are in a bad position. The magic number countdown that so often pops up with Leafs fans is irrelevant (for now) in Raptors Nation. And it's not like the Raptors are necessarily trying to chase an 8th seed, nor are they depending on other teams to help them out. Their playoff destiny is entirely in their hands.

And yet time after time again, the effort isn't there. How many blowouts can one team victimize itself through before the intensity picks up? Is it too much to ask for the Raptors play hard every game? Scratch that - make that every other game.

The magic Raptors formula: Effort + Skill + Some Luck = Success.

Just look at the recent Atlanta game.

My solution: Triano - it's time to be bold.

And no, I'm not talking about something like taking Jack out of the starting lineup for Jose. Nope. Think bolder. Why? Because whatever you've done so far, well, it's not working. It's not even close to working. If it were up to me, I'd want to blow this team up and do a complete rebuild. A different theme, a different attitude, and a different perspective on both sides of the court. But with the season dwindling down, it's too late for that. Such an act would have to wait. So how do we change it up with the resources we have and the realistic options we have available to us?

Play anyone and everyone ready to commit on the defensive end. From keeping your man in front of you, to boxing out, to cleaning up the glass. Triano shouldn't care about whether or not someone scores 20 points. All that should matter is you play defense.

Disgusting Fact of the Night: The Raptors have given up at least 100 points in 14 of their last 16 games. A petty Knicks team almost got there with 96, while the juggernaut New Jersey Nets could only put up 90.

Triano should not hesitate to take away minutes from Reggie and Bargnani if it means getting more court time for Amir. He shouldn't be afraid to give Banks some of the time Jack and Jose are seeing. And go ahead and give Sonny more burn as well. Do something, anything! Because teams are clinching playoff spots left and right.

Emmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao (born December 17, 1978) is a Filipino professional boxer. He is currently the WBO World welterweight champion, Ring Magazine light welterweight champion, and is rated by Ring Magazine as the number 1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world.

Pacquiao is also the former WBC World lightweight champion, WBC World super featherweight champion, IBF World super bantamweight champion, and WBC World flyweight champion. Furthermore, he is the former Ring Magazine featherweight and super featherweight champion.

Pacquiao is the first boxer in history to win seven world titles in seven different weight divisions. In addition, he is the only boxer to win the lineal championship in four different weight classes. Aside from being a boxer, Pacquiao has participated in politics, acting, and music recording.

Selasa, 23 Maret 2010

"Sugar" Shane Mosley (born September 7, 1971) is a boxer from Pomona, California. He has won world titles in three weight divisions, and is the current WBA Welterweight Super Champion. He is also a major proprietor of Golden Boy Promotions.

Regardless of what your answer is to that, let's kick off another edition of "With A Side Of Red" - your favorite side dish of random Raptors related tidbits. A good number of people seemed to have enjoyed the God of War 3 theme I used in the last WSR, so I find it pretty hilarious that the theme this time around involves the one word that has been thrown around a lot in Raptors Nation lately: Lazy.

From Kratos to laziness...nice.

If you looked on twitter, message boards, your IM - you'd know what I was talking about. If the topic was the Toronto Raptors, then the word "lazy" was included at least once somewhere throughout the day. What started it all? This handy dandy article from Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.Com:

"The fifth month of the fourth season, and still no conclusion. Except that Andrea Bargnani is lazy."

First, if there's one thing that us Raptors fans can conclude, it's that our neighbors South of us sure do know how to reel us in. Journalists and whoever else associated with the media know by now, if you'd like to see the biggest increase spike in traffic you've ever seen in your career, all you have to do is say something bad about the Toronto Raptors. It works like a charm every time.

Btw: Bargnani finished last night's game with 19 pts, 7 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl and was the Raptors' broadcast crew's "Just Energy Player of the Game". Funny stuff.

And then of course, this morning we have an article out of the Toronto Star by Dave Feschuck. Check it out here to help me avoid my tendency not to include sources:

This time around, we have Sonny Weems (who keep in mind is 24 years old and is practically an NBA rookie) with this quote:

“Just play defence, that’s all we’ve got to do,” said Weems. “I think some people just don’t buy into it. It’s just some people being lazy. Once we buy into it, we can be a great team.”

Ah - there's that word again. Just never seems to escape us. It's like the Raptors' version of Jason, Freddy Kruger, and Michael Myers rolled into one.

Next on WSR - how can I have a "lazy" theme and not include the one Toronto Raptor that has been ragged on all year for looking out of shape. Hint: He loves pizza!

Hedo Turkoglu!

But of course, as Raptors fans know, you can always expect the unexpected, or better yet, you can always expect what doesn't make sense. When the Raptors are on a high, they show up with a weak performance, and vise versa. So with all this talk about laziness, it was only fitting that Turk had one of his best 4th quarters of the season.

When the game got close, the team constantly put the ball in Hedo's hands to make plays. The ball handling skills he possesses at his height makes him deadly in PnR situations. Here's perhaps the most significant play he created late in the 4th with the Raps only up by 2.

Jack brings the ball up the court to begin the offensive set. Meanwhile Turk goes as far up the wing as it takes to bring his man near the free throw line extended. He uses a small Bargnani screen (or what is supposed to be...) and makes his way towards Jack to receive the hand-off.

Hedo gets the ball and is now in the basic and fundamental triple threat position (though he could have gotten the ball a little closer to the 3pt line just in case he wanted to shoot). Bosh prepares himself to go set the screen for Turk. Everyone on Minnesota knows what's about to happen, so they set their entire focus on stopping it.

Bosh sets the pick, and Turk takes his dribble towards the basket. Knowing they can't give Turk the shot, the Wolves defender goes over the screen. The goal here is to make the defense react and take whatever they give you. Having run this set to death throughout his career, Hedo knows what will be available to him. If Hedo takes it strong to the basket, Al Jefferson - the Minney player in the middle - must pick his poison. He can either stick on Bosh's roll to the basket, and hope Brewer fills in (which leaves Wright open in the corner); or he can stick on Hedo and hope Love helps him with Bosh's roll to the bucket (which leaves Bargnani open for 3). Being about 6'10 helps Turk see over the defense for the best decision.

The Wolves collapse into the paint in an attempt to contain Hedo's penetration or Bosh's decision to roll or pop. This leave both Antoine Wright and Andrea Bargnani open for a clean look at a three pointer. Turk makes the easier pass of the two, and Wright eventually knocks down the basket.

The Raptors went to Turk consecutive times late in the game to make plays for them and it worked out well. Some would point to the fact that it was against the Wolves, but when done right and consistently, Turk can be a force in the PnR scenarios. Just ask Boston and Cleveland.

Last up on the biggest edition ever of "With A Side of Red" [The lazy edition mind you], I've got episode 2 of the Raptors Rundown podcast. This episode is co-hosted with Anton, who is the author and creator of the Toronto Huskies Blog. Topics include Chris Bosh's performance and level of play since his return from the injury, the team's inability to feed the hot hand, Wright's criticism of DeRozan and Weems, Jack's demotion to the bench, and the meltdown against OKC. On top of that, Anton gives you his pick for this week's Raptors Factor.

Senin, 22 Maret 2010

Floyd Joy Mayweather, Jr. (born Floyd Sinclair on February 24, 1977), is an American professional. He is the son of Floyd Mayweather, Sr.

From July 18, 2005 through June 2, 2008 he was rated by The Ring magazine as the number-one pound for pound boxer in the world. Mayweather has won six world boxing championships in five different boxing weight classes; he is the former WBC welterweight champion, a title he vacated upon his retirement. He was named Ring Magazine Fighter of the Year in 1998 and 2007.

I want to say sorry to the readers of this blog for not being to churn anything out over the weekend. I was pretty busy on Saturday, and yesterday - well - I can safely say I was working hard on this. Check out episode 2 of the Raptors Rundown Podcast! The soon-to-be one podcast you refer to for the latest happenings in the world of the Toronto Raptors.

This episode is co-hosted with Anton, who is the author and creator of the Toronto Huskies Blog. Topics include Chris Bosh's performance and level of play since his return from the injury, the team's inability to feed the hot hand, Wright's criticism of DeRozan and Weems, Jack's demotion to the bench, and the meltdown against OKC. On top of that, Anton gives you his pick for this week's Raptors Factor.

Minggu, 21 Maret 2010

Wladimir Klitschko (Ukrainian: born 25 March 1976, Semipalatinsk, Kazakhstan) is a Ukrainian heavyweight boxer. Klitschko currently holds the IBF, WBO, IBO and Ring Magazine world heavyweight titles. His older brother, Vitali Klitschko, is the current WBC world heavyweight champion.He was born in Semipalatinsk, Kazakh SSR (now Kazakhstan). Though a major celebrity in his former adopted home of Germany, he moved with his older brother Vitali to Beverly Hills in 2004. Their father, Vladimir Rodionovich, was a Soviet Air Force Colonel. Their mother is Nadezhda Ulyanovna.

In the summer of 1996, Klitschko finished Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky Pedagogical Institute (Ukraine) and was accepted in the postgraduate study program of Kiev University. On 18 January 2001 in a conference hall of Kiev University of physical science and sports, Klitschko presented his doctoral dissertation and was awarded a Ph.D. in Sports Science. Klitschko speaks four languages: Ukrainian, Russian, German and English. At the beginning of his professional career, he began spelling his name Wladimir. The Ukrainian version of his name is Volodymyr , which in Russian is Vladimir.

Jumat, 19 Maret 2010

If the Raptors can sustain the effort and level of play they showed off against the Hawks, then suddenly, their objective changes. No longer is it simply just: Make the playoffs. But now it's: Do whatever it takes to finish above the 8th seed.

Winning a playoff series would be monumental in the grand scheme of things. Not only would it be the team's first playoff series win since that guy who jumps high was here, but it would play a huge role in convincing Bosh to stay here. It's all about moving forward, and the Raptors have their best shot at doing that with the 7th, 6th, and 5th seeds. Fans of this team may quickly point to the fact that we've played Cleveland very well this year - and they would have a legit point.

But let's face it. Does anyone honestly think that LeBron's potential final year in Cleveland will end in the first round of the playoffs to the Toronto Raptors? I don't see it happening. Our defense is already bad enough. But imagine not even being able to breath on James? Frustration to no end.

So now with a confidence building win over Atlanta, the Raptors now welcome yet another team very similar to the Hawks. Kevin Durant and his OKC boys practically embarrassed Toronto in their one and only previous meeting this season. And it was expected. I've said it time after time again; Toronto has trouble playing against teams with fast and athletic wings and that boast undersized yet skilled and strong big men. If we can somehow find a way to steal the win tonight, it'll help solidify one very important fact - The Raptors can hang with anyone at home.

Adding the Thunder to a list that includes the Cavs, Lakers, Mavs, and Hawks looks nice on that NBA resume doesn't it?

You never want to look too far ahead, but if you can grab a win tonight, the Raps are potentially looking at a 5 game winning streak (Nets and Wolves just around the corner). How big would that be? A basketball game is said to be a game of runs. But when you think "bigger picture", that same observation could be made about the entire season. Obviously, what matters most is that you finish strong.

For Toronto, that started against the Hawks, and will look to continue tonight.

Kamis, 18 Maret 2010

But for those who actually took in the game last night, they know what really happened. Sure, if you want to get technical, then yes - Bosh did save the day. After all, it was he who was relied on in the clutch situations of last night's game. Two of the final three possessions went through Bosh, and consequently, CB4 converted those 2 possessions into buckets. Bosh also managed to eclipse the 10,000 point mark - the first ever Raptor to do so. But there was no doubt in the minds of Raptors fans everywhere, that with our backs up against the ropes, there was no bigger pair of points than this particular bucket:

Yet - could Bosh's shining moment have been made possible without the help of his team? Most definitely not.

Going into the 4th quarter, Bosh had a petty 6 points. For most of the game, the Raptors' captain did not look like the All-Star we had been spoiled with throughout the season. There wasn't any explosion in his first step. His jumpers were short. And the emotion wasn't there for about 44 minutes of the game. Some will quickly say "Who can blame him?" And those same people would be justified, because this team has let him down one too many times.

Going into last night's bout, anyone and everyone pegged Atlanta to blow Toronto out of the water for the third straight meeting, and perhaps Bosh did as well. Fortunately for Raptors Nation, Bosh's teammates had other ideas. While Bosh was practically invisible on the court and the stat sheet for about 3 quarters, his team stepped up and matched the Hawks punch for punch.

Bargnani - someone often criticized for not being able to provide the load when Bosh went down with injury - was perhaps the best player for Toronto last night. The Italian finished the opening quarter with 11 points, and ultimately the game with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

The young rookie DeMar DeRozan finally became that athletic wing player the Raptors have so desperately coveted. He played respectable defense (despite Crawford filling it up) and constantly attacked the rim. The fast break points he provided was something that I felt wasn't applauded enough.

Believe it or not - but Turk also made his case for most effective Raptor of the night as well. His shot showed signs of coming back to form in Portland, and luckily for us, it seemed to have traveled with him back to Toronto. He made plays, rebounded, and even dove for a couple of loose balls. On top of that, he even got out of that 1st quarter without recording a foul! Canada's "Do You Believe" campaign can now finally end

Lastly. Let's give it up to someone who has been under constant fire since the Raptors went into a downward spiral. Though not an actual player on the roster, this specific individual also played his part in setting up Bosh for his game winner. Congratulations Jay Triano! After drawing a foul, Hedo Turkoglu went to the line in an attempt to tie the game. Before the second free throw, Triano subbed in Amir Johnson for rebounding purposes. Turk surprisingly missed the second shot, which Amir (unsurprisingly) quickly tracked down before scrambling for the loose ball amidst the overwhelming number of Hawks players around him. The result? Toronto regaining possession with 10 seconds left.

Make no mistake about it, Chris Bosh isn't the only one on this team who cares about winning. Bosh felt like the route of calling his team out in the media was what was necessary, and his teammates responded. Sure, you can point out the fact that Bosh has certainly carried his team more often than his team has carried him, but why keep score? The main point that was made last night was that this team isn't ready to give up on Bosh or on the city.

Success and failure are usually placed on opposite ends of the spectrum; when they shouldn't be. Because at the end of the day, they're companions, like the hero and the sidekick. And on this night against the Atlanta Hawks, Bosh couldn't have saved the day like Batman without his army of Robins.

Rabu, 17 Maret 2010

Due to an Achilles injury, the Batman of the Atlanta Hawks will not be able to suit up tonight against the Toronto Raptors. Which works out nicely considering the recent struggles of this Raptors squad. Basically averaging 21, 5 and 5 this year, Johnson has played his role in cementing Atlanta's place in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference.

The bad news?

The Hawks usually kill us using a balanced attack.

Interesting Fact: The Hawks had 9 players score in double digits in our first meeting, and 6 players score in double digits in the second game. Evans, Williams, and Smith finished with 9 points.

Sure - having Johnson sit will help. But it's the style of play Atlanta thrives on that hurts us. The constant pressure from their defense forces turnovers, which helps them run teams out of the gym.

As for the Raptors, a combination of good and bad news: Antoine Wright will not be able to play tonight. It's good news because he hasn't exactly been playing great lately. During the 4 game trip, he managed to score a whopping 1 point in total. Think about it - he's actually played at least 10 minutes a game in the last week, but he hasn't made a single shot since March 7 (where he went 2 for 10...). Obviously, the bad news is that he still happens to be a very good piece we can throw at an athletic and gifted wing team like Atlanta...

3 Keys to the Game:1. Transition D (ATL wants to play athletic and fast with us)2. Squeeze The Orange (Like NBA2K10 always says...)3. No helping/Stay on Shooters (No need to double down on Horford. Instead worry about Bibby, Crawford, and Evans.)

It's a big night for Toronto Raptors fans. If we can manage to win this one - it would do wonders for the locker room, media, and Raptors Nation. Catch the game tonight on TSN2 @ 7:00 EST.

Selasa, 16 Maret 2010

Said the man in this picture: "If all those on Olympus would deny me my vengeance, then all of Olympus will die."

Get er' done BC?

In honor of the release of God of War 3 today, I bring you the deepest shade of "With A Side Of Red" ever. Just like on Mount Olympus - it's not looking good right now in Raptors Nation. Colangelo is panicking more than Zeus is. Why? Because he knows that the wrath of Raptors fans was what gave birth to whatever Kratos is so upset about. The despair and treachery the God of War games use as themes have nothing on what the Raptors camp looks like at the moment. Here's Jack and Bosh opening Pandora's Box:

Next up on our ascent of Mount Olympus, we have this guy. Remember him?

Don't get it twisted, us Raptors fans, we played our part in driving Sam Mitchell out of town. The media got on it, fans were calling for his head. And don't pretend like you forgot the official "Fire Sam Mitchell" website. Yet now, there's already a handful of us who are wishing he was back with the team. This team needs a kick in the butt, and Mitchell would be the type of guy who would rain chaos - just ask Rafer Alston. Sam dropped by to speak on the FAN590 this morning, take a listen:

And lastly, if you missed it yesterday, (since we did upload it a bit later on in the day) here's the first ever episode of the Raptors Rundown Podcast. Thanks again to Rose Arcana for helping me out. For those who'd like to help me co-host an episode, just let me know via email.

And there you guys have it - your daily fix of Raptors related tidbits before we take on that really athletic team we hate so much. Unless this team gets angry enough to want to change something, tomorrow will not be pretty. Solution? Sign Kratos to a 10 day contract and watch him intimidate anyone who comes into the lane. I'd pay to watch.

Whatever you happen to be doing Raptors fans, I hope you enjoyed it With A Side of Red!

Senin, 15 Maret 2010

Here's the first episode of the Raptors Rundown podcast. It's something I want to be able to do weekly at the least. In this episode, I and fellow guest/fan Rose Arcana discuss topics that include the recent four game West Coast trip, Bosh venting to the media, 3rd quarter meltdowns, and more.

If you want to help me co-host a future episode, feel free to send me a message via email which you can find on this very blog you're on. A show made by the fans, but more importantly, made for the fans.

Minggu, 14 Maret 2010

Joshua Clottey (born in March 16, 1976 in Accra, Ghana) is a welterweight boxer from Accra, Ghana, who now lives in the Bronx, New York. He is the former IBF Welterweight Champion.A tough orthodox fighter, Clottey has a solid defense and a combination of size, speed, stamina, boxing skills, power, and chin.

Clottey has top defensive skills; the way he uses his gloves and arms to protect himself from his opponent's punches is very similar to Winky Wright's defensive stance.